- iPad mini 7 comes with a handy RecoveryOS partition
- Can be restored on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 devices
- No word yet on whether older tablets will be able to take advantage of it
We just gave Apple’s latest tablet 4.5 stars out of 5 in our review of the iPad mini 7 (2024), and we’ve heard that it borrows some very useful recovery techniques. I became even more obsessed with it. iPhone16 series.
As discovered by 9to5Mac, the iPad mini 7 comes with a special RecoveryOS partition, just like the iPhone 16 before it. This means you can restore and reset wirelessly using another iPhone or iPad, without having to connect it to a Windows or macOS computer.
When the feature was first discovered on the iPhone 16, it wasn’t clear whether it required the latest A18 chip to work. We found that the A17 Pro chip inside the iPad mini 7 also works fine.
Hopefully, this is a feature you won’t need in the future. However, if your iPad completely freezes and becomes unresponsive, having another Apple phone or tablet will make the recovery process much easier. It may also save you a trip to a repair shop or Apple Store.
recovery time
For now, four iPhone 16 handsets and an iPad mini 7 are the only devices that can be restored wirelessly, as they come with a dedicated RecoveryOS partition. However, the actual restore can be performed from a device running iOS 18 or iPadOS 18, so you have more options.
It is unclear whether older devices will be able to take advantage of this feature through a software update, but it seems unlikely at this stage. iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 were recently released to devices, but Apple hasn’t said anything about this feature.
However, some other Apple devices (particularly the Apple Watch and Apple TV 4K) can be restored without being connected to a computer. It looks like it will be coming to all iPhones and iPads in the future.
iPad mini 7 may automatically enter recovery mode if a problem occurs. Alternatively, you can manually enter recovery mode by pressing and holding the volume up, then volume down, and power buttons. Apple provides complete iPad and iPhone instructions if you need them.
